Five individuals were cuffed and stuffed at an American Canyon Walmart on Wednesday, in a rapid-fire string of busts that had cops hopping from suspect to suspect in the space of an hour. According to the American Canyon Police Department, the collar fest kicked off just after 2 p.m. when officers were dispatched to Walmart in response to a shoplifting report. Garron Cooper, 36, was the first to earn a set of bracelets when he was nabbed in front of the store, his shopping cart loaded with ill-gotten goods. When confronted, he bolted, leading to a foot race that ended with cuffs on him after a short tussle inside the retailer - during the arrest he was also tagged with resisting. His alleged partner-in-crime, 42-year-old Donti Cooper of Suisun City, was found in the getaway van and was also busted for theft and conspiracy.
The ACPD officers might have thought they’d earned a breather. Still, the wheels of justice kept turning as yet another vehicle tied to retail boosting rolled into the lot. Walmart staff quickly pointed the finger at two women they claimed had walked out with unpaid merchandise, the officers then located both women and identified them as Mihaela Bacelaru, 37, and Mirela Crudu, 40, both of Vallejo and they weren't just accused of theft - police slapped cuffs on Crudu for an outstanding felony warrant too. During this whirlwind crackdown, a relative of the female duo, 23-year-old Maria Ispir, decided to drop in and ended up arrested herself courtesy of her outstanding felony warrant from Contra Costa County.
All five suspects were given a ride to the Napa County Department of Corrections, where they were booked and processed. The ACPD has been tight-lipped about the details of the stolen merchandise.
News of the swift crime-stopping spree was detailed in an ACPD press release obtained by the media. Lt. Nicol Dudley outlined the day's events and noted that the American Canyon Police Department remains vigilant in their fight against retail theft. Anyone requiring further information has been directed to contact Lt. Dudley at (707) 551-5604 for all inquiries about the upbeat in local shoplifting incidents and their subsequent clampdowns by diligent officers on patrol that Wednesday afternoon.
